Spring assemblies



Nov. 29, 1966 H. GUTZMAN I 3,288,458

SPRING ASSEMBLIES Filed Sept. 21, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

AfTOPNE Y5 Nov. 29, 1966 E. H. GUTZMAN SPRING ASSEMBLIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1964 INVENTOR. 50914480 A. flfZMA/V BY (9M 4424 Nov. 29, 1966 8 E. H. GUTZMAN SPRING ASSEMBLIES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 21, 1964 lOZ I NVENTOR.

Mm Mm Um i n M M 0 United States Patent 3,288,458 SPRING ASSEMBLIES Edward H. Gutzman, Georgetown, Ky., assignor to Hoover Ball and Bearing Company, Saline, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,818 12 Claims. (Cl. 267107) This invention relates generally to upholstered seat structures and more particularly to an improved wire spring assembly for such structures.

In a seat spring assembly, some of the principal objectives are to provide a resilient platform for the padding and upholstery material which covers sufiicient area to enable uniform transfer of load from the upholstery and padding to the springs; to form this plat-form from a minimum amount of wire for cost purposes, and to provide a spring platform which is readily yieldable to loads when in use and is free of stiffness in localized areas. It is also desirable to accomplish these objectives while also providing spring shapes which can be economically produced and assembled and which when assembled provide a seating structure in which loads on one portion have minimized adverse effects on other portions. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide improved seat spring assemblies for seating structures which accomplish the above objectives in economical and advantageous form.

In the seat spring assemblies of this invention, desirable seating characteristics similar tothe characteristics obtainable from the spring assemblies shown in Patent No. 2,480,667, assigned to the assignee of this invention, are obtained. These desirable characteristics are obtained by incorporating in each form of the spring unit of this invention face springs which are attached at one end to an inner frame rail and at the other end are supported on V-shape yieldable support springs. in the case of a seat back structure, the inner rail is the lower rail and the upper rail constitutes the outer rail, while in the seat portion, the front rail constitutes the outer rail and the rear rail constitutes the inner rail. Also, in all forms of the spring unit of this invention, the face springs are formed with longitudinally extending extensions which also form border wire sections. Adjacent border wire sections are clipped together so that they are hingedly connected to form the usual border wire. However, the hingedly connected sectional border wire obtained in this manner has some advantages in that it eliminates the effect of a load on one portion of the seating structure on a portion spaced therefrom. In other words, in a sofa provided with applicants spring assemblies and jointed border wire construction, a person getting up or sitting down from one portion of the sofa has less effect on a person sitting on an adjacent portion. In some forms of the spring assembly of this invention, a plurality of side-by-side units are connected by joining the border wire sections, and each unit is formed from a single length of wire shaped to form the face spring, the support spring, and the face spring extension which includes the border wire section. In another form of the invention, a pair of adjacent face springs, each of which is provided with its own integral support spring, are connected by a single length of wire which constitutes an extension of both of the face springs and a section of border wire.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a seat structure, showing the spring assemblies of this invention incorporated in both the seat and seat back portions of the seat structure, with some portions of the structure broken away Patented Nov. 29, 1966 and other parts shown in section to better illustrate the construction of the spring assemblies;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the seat stnucture shown in FIG. 1 with the upholstery removed;

FIGURE 3 is a front view of a portion of the seat back spring assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front view, illustrated similarly to FIG. 3, of a modified form of the spring assembly of this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the spring assembly shown in FIG. 4 showing the assembly mounted on a seat structure frame;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top view of another form of the spring assembly of this invention illustrated in an automobile seat structure; and

FIGURE 7 is a transverse sectional view of the modified spring assembly shown in FIG. 6, looking substantially along the line 77 in FIG. 6, and showing the shape of the upholstered seat structure in broken lines.

With reference to the drawing, one form of the spring assembly of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 mounted in both the seat and seat back portions of a seating structure 12. Each spring assembly consists of at least one and usually a plurality of spring units 10 arranged side by side, only one of which appears in both the seat and seat back portions of the seating structure illustrated in FIG. 1. The structure 12 has a back frame 14 which includes top and bottom vertically spaced rails 16 and 18 on which one spring assembly is mounted, and a seat frame 20 which includes 'front and rear frame rails 22 and 24 on which another assembly is mounted. The top and front rails 16 and 22, respectively, are sometimes hereinafter referred to as the outer rails, and the bottom and rear rails 18 and 24, respectively, are sometimes hereinafter referred to as the inner rails, since these rails are disposed outwardly and inwardly, respectively, with respect to the seating structure 12.

Each spring unit 10 includes a longitudinally extending face spring 26 having transversely extending longitudinally spaced cross wires 28 and connecting wires 30 which con nect adjacent end-s of adjacent cross wires 28. At its inner end, each face spring 26 is formed with a short cross wire 32 which terminates in a prong 34 which extends into an inner frame rail 18 or 24, as the case may \be. At its opposite end, each face spring 26 terminates in a cross wire 36.

A support spring 38, which is of substantially V-shape, having a pair of legs and 42, is disposed laterally inwardly of each of the face springs 26. The legs 40 and 42 of the support spring 38 are connected at their juncture by a transversely extending torsion bar 44. The outer end of the leg 42 terminates in a short cross wire 46 which is bent at right angles to form a prong 48 adapted to extend into an outer frame rail 16 or 22, as the case may be. The leg 40 terminates in a cross wire 50 which is positioned laterally adjacent the cross wire 36 and is secured thereto by a clip 52.

A face spring extension 54, formed integral with the cross wires 36 and 50, extends longitudinally outwardly of the end of the face spring 26 formed by the cross wire 36. The extension 54 includes a pair of relatively outwardly diverging legs 56 and 58, the leg 56 being integrally formed with the cross wire 36. The etxension 54 also includes a wire section 61 which extends transversely of the face spring 26 and is of a length substantially greater than the transverse dimension of the face spring 26. This section of the extension 54 constitutes a border wire section, as will more clearly appear hereinafter, and is formed at its ends with legs 62 which extend at substantially right angles relative thereto toward the legs 56 and 58. Connecting sections 64 connect the legs 62 to the legs 56 and 58.

It can thus be seen that each unit 10 is formed from a single length of wire which is bent to form a face spring 26, a support spring 38, and a face spring extension 54 shaped to form a border wire section 60. When the unit 10 is utilized as a back spring, the prong 34 is extended into the bottom frame rail 18 until the short cross wire 32 engages one side of the rail 18. The prong 48 is similarly inserted into the top rail 16 until the short cross wire 46 engages one side of the rail 16. When the unit 10 is used as a seat spring, the prong 34 is similarly installed in the rear rail 24 and the prong 48 is similarly installed in the front frame rail 22. Adjacent units 10 in a spring assembly are spaced longitudinally of the supporting frame rails so that a leg 62 on one unit 10 is adjacent a leg 62 on an adjacent unit 10. Spring clips 66 are then utilized to hingedly connect adjacent legs 62, as shown in FIG. 3. When adjacent legs 62 are so connected by means of the clip 66, the border wire sections 60 are substantially axially aligned and one border wire section 60 is hingedly movable relative to the other border wire section 60. The border Wire sections 60 are so named because they constitute the support for the outer border of the padding and upholstery material 68 (FIG. 1) which is conventionally applied over the spring units 10 and is supported on the spring platform formed by adjacent border wires 26 and their extensions 54. By virtue of the jointed border Wire provided in the spring assemblies shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the effect of a load on one portion of the spring assembly on other portions is minimized. Also, a spring assembly of any desired length can be obtained by providing the requisite number of spring units 10. The extent of spacing of adjacent units 10 can be adjusted merely by changing the shape of the extension 54 so as to shorten or lengthen the length of each border wire section 60 since this length determines the spacing of adjacent units 10.

Another form of the spring assembly of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. This assembly likewise consists of one or more identical units, indicated generally at 10a, like the units 10. For convenience of illustration, the unit 10a is shown in FIG. mounted on the back frame 14 of the seating structure 12 only, it being understood that it is similarly mountable on the seat frame 20. Each unit a consists of a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending face springs 26a, each of which includes a plurality of transversely extending cross wires 280 connected by connecting wires 30a. The inner end of each face spring 26a is formed with a short cross wire 32a which terminates in a prong 34a similar to the prong 34 previously described. At its opposite end, each face spring 26a terminates in a cross wire 36a which also forms the terminal end of the leg 40a of a support spring 38a which is disposed laterally inwardly of the face spring 26a.

Support spring 3811 is of substantially V-shape and is similar to the support spring 38 previously described, terminating in a prong 48a supported on the top rail 16. In the unit 10a, each face spring 26a is provided with a longitudinal extension 70, like the extension 54 in the unit 10, but in the unit 10a the extension 70 for one face spring 26a is formed integral with a similar extension 70 formed on the adjacent face spring 26a. In other words, a pair of integral extensions 70, formed from a single length of wire 72, constitute an extension for a pair of face springs 26a.

The wire 72 is bent so that substantially midway between its ends 74, it has a straight section 76, which constitutes a border wire section, that terminates at its ends in short legs 78 which are substantially perpendicular to the section 76. The legs 78 are formed integral with sections 80 which extend inwardly toward each other and then turn toward the face springs 26a in the form of substantially parallel legs 82. Inclined portions 84 of the wire 72 are joined at one end to the legs 82 and at the opposite end to cross wires 86 which are then bent back upon the inclined portions 84 in the form of straight sections 88. The inclined sections 84, the cross wires 86, and the straight sections 88 form end loops 90 on the wire 72.

The wire 72 is attached to the face springs 26a by positioning each loop 90 relative to a face spring 26a such that the endmost cross wire 36a in the face spring 26a is clamped between the wire sections 84 and 88 in the loop 90 and so that the cross wire 86 is adjacent a cross wire 92 in the face spring 260 spaced from the endmost cross wire 36a. A clip 94 connects the cross wires 86 and 92 in each case.

It can thus be seen, that the unit 10a consists of a pair of face springs 26a, a pair of support springs 38a, and face spring extensions 70 which take the form of a single wire 72 bent so that it is readily connected to the face springs 26a to form extensions thereof and to form an elongated border wire section 76 which is of a length such that it extends transversely beyond the transverse confines of the face springs 26a in the unit 10a. A spring assembly is formed by connecting adjacent units 10a by connecting the adjacent legs 78 in the adjacent units as shown in FIG. 4, by means of clips 96. This arrangement provides for a jointed border wire, the advantages of which have been previously explained.

Another form of the spring assembly of this invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 in the form of a spring assembly for an automobile cushion frame, only the front and rear rails and 102, respectively, of which are shown. As in the spring assemblies previously described, the spring assembly shown in FIG. 6 consists of a plurality of identical spring units, indicated generally at 10b. Each unit 10b is similar to the unit 10 previously described in that it is formed from a single length of wire bent to form a face spring 26b having a plurality, namely, two in this case, cross wires 28b. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cross wires 28b constitute the ends of the face spring 26b. The outer end of the face spring 26b is supported on a support spring 38b which is of generally V-shaipe having a pair of legs 40b and 42b connected by a torsion bar 44b.

The face spring 26b is formed integral with the support spring 38b and also with an extension 54b of the face spring 26b which extends longitudinally outwandly therefrom. The extension 54b includes a section 60b which constitutes a border wire section having perpendicular legs 62b at its ends. One of the legs 62b is formed integral with a cross Wire 104 which constitutes one end of the support spring 38b. The other leg 62b is formed integral with an inclined leg or wire 106 which is formed integral with the cross wire 28b at one end of the face spring 26b. The opposite or mounting end of the sup- .port spring 38b is formed with a loop shape mounting means 108 which is secured to the front rail 100. The loop 108 at its front side fits under a reversely bent flange 110 on the rail 100 and at its rear side fits under a tang 112 bent upwardly out of the rail 100. A spacer stop 114 bent upwardly out of the rail 100 engages the loop 108 to prevent it from shifting lengthwise of the rail 100.

The opposite end of the support spring 26b is similarly formed integral with a support spring 116, similar to the support spring 38b, and an extension 118 having a border wire section 120, similar to the extension 54b and the border wire section 60b.

A plurality of units 10b are arranged side by side as shown in FIG. 6 and adjacent legs 62b in adjacent units are connected by clips 122. Similar legs on the extensions 118 are connected by clips 124. The units 10b are shown mounted on an automobile cushion frame in which case the units 10b have border wire sections at both ends which are connected as shown to form a border pport for upholstery shown diagrammatically at 126 in FIG. 7. In other applications, one or the other end of each unit 10b can be supported by a different structure without detracting [from the illustrated mounting at the other end.

It will be understood that the spring assemblies which are herein disclosed and described are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration and are not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a seat spring, a longitudinally extending face spring having a predetermined transverse dimension, a support spring for said face spring disposed laterally thereof and attached to one end of said face spring, and an extension on said one end of the face spring extending longitudinally thereof, said extension including a border wire section which extends in a direction transversely of said face spring and is of a length substantially greater than said transverse dimension of said face spring so that a plurality of said face springs can be arranged in a spaced side by side relation with said border wire section connected to form a border wire.

2. In a seat spring according to claim 1 in which said face and support springs and said border wire section consist of a single length of wire bent to a shape such that said extension has a pair of legs spaced transversely of said face spring, one of said legs being integral with said face spring end, and the other one of said legs being integral with said support spring.

3. In a seat spring according to claim 1 in which said face and support springs consist of a single length of wire and said extension is formed from a separate length of wire secured to a pair of side-by-side face springs.

4. In a seat spring according to claim 2 in which said extension legs terminate in overlapped cross wires, one of which constitutes said one end of said face spring and the other one of which constitutes one end of said support spring, and means extending about said overlapped cross wires so as to connect them together.

5. In a seat spring according to claim 2 in which said extension legs terminate in spaced cross wires, one of which constitutes said one end of said face spring and the other one of which constitutes one end of said support spring.

6. In a seat spring, a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending zigzag springs having transversely extending longitudinally spaced cross wires, mounting means formed at one end of each of said face springs, a substantially V-shape support spring disposed laterally of each of said face springs and having a pair of ends, one of said ends of each of said support springs being connected to the opposite end of one of said face springs, mounting means formed integral wit-h the opposite end of each of said support springs, and extension means on said opposite ends of said face springs extending longitudinally thereof, said extension means including a border wire section which extends in a direction transversely of said face springs and is of a length greater than the combined transverse dimension of said face springs.

7. In a seat spring according to claim 6 in which said extension means consists of a single length of wire secured at one end to one of said face springs and at the other end to the other one of said face springs.

8. In a seat spring according to claim 6 in which said extension means is comprised of a pair of lengths of wire, one of which is integral with one of said face springs and the other one of which is integral with the other one of said face springs, said lengths of wire being shaped to form adjacent axially aligned portions which form said border wire section, side by-side legs integral with and extending substantially perpendicular to said portions, and means pivotally connecting said legs.

9. A seat spring unit comprising a pair of transversely spaced longitudinally extending zigzag face springs each having transversely extending longitudinally spaced cross wires, mounting means formed at one end of each of said face springs, a pair of substantially V-shaipe support springs corresponding to said face springs, each of said support springs being disposed laterally of its corresponding face spring and having a pair of ends, one of the ends .of each of said support springs being for-med integral with the opposite end of its corresponding face spring, mounting means formed integral with the opposite end of each of said support springs, and an extension for the opposite ends of said face springs, said extension consisting of a single length of wire shaped intermediate its ends to form a border wire section which extends in a direction transversely of said face springs and is of a length such that its ends are postioned transversely outwardly of said face springs, said length of wire being connected at the ends there-of to a pair of cross wires in each of said face springs.

10. A plurality of side-by-side seat spring units, each of said units comprising a single length of wire shaped to form a longitudinally extending zigzag face spring having transversely extending longitudinally spaced cross wires, mounting means formed at one end of said face spring, a support spring disposed laterally of said Iface spring and having a pair of ends, one of said support spring ends being formed integral with the opposite end of said face spring, mounting means formed integral with the opposite end of said support spring, an extension on said opposite end of the face spring, said extension having an intermediate portion which forms a border wire section extending in a direction transversely of said face spring and of a length greater than the transverse dimension of said face spring, said extension terminating at its ends in a pair of cross wires one of which constitutes said one end of said support spring and the other of which constitutes said other end of said face spring, said extension also including legs which extend angularly from opposite ends of said border wire section, and the legs for adjacent units being arranged side by side and hingedly connected.

11. In a seating structure having inner and outer spaced rails, a spring unit comprising a longitudinally extending face spring having transversely extending longitudinally spaced cross wires and a pair of ends, means on one of said ends mounting said face spring on said inner rail, a substantially V-shape support spring formed integral with and arranged in a supporting relation at one end with the opposite end of said face spring, means on said support spring at the opposite end thereof mounting said support spring on said outer rail, and an extension for said face spring terminating in a border wire section which extends transversely of said face spring and is disposed in a substantially parallel spaced relation with said outer rail.

12. In a sealing structure having inner and outer spaced rails, 21 pair of identical spring units each of which comprises a longitudinally extending face spring having transversely extending longitudinally spaced cross wires and a pair of ends, means on one of said ends mounting said face spring on said inner rail, a substantially V-shape support spring fonmed integral with and arranged in a supporting relation at one end with the opposite end of said face spring, means on said sup-port spring at the opposite end thereof mounting said support spring on said outer rail, an extension for said face spring terminating in a border wire section which extends transversely of said face spring and is disposed in a substantially parallel spaced relation with said outer rail, said units being arranged on said rails in a side-'by-side relation so that said face springs are spaced apart in a direction transversely thereof and so that said border wire sections are substantially axially aligned, and means connecting said border wire sections for pivotal movement relative to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,829,880 4/1958 Staples et al 2671 2,834,594 5/1958 Pietruszka 267-1 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SEAT SPRING, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING FACE SPRING HAVING A PREDETERMINED TRANSVERSE DIMENSION, A SUPPORT SPRING FOR SAID FACE SPRING DISPOSED LATERALLY THEREOF AND ATTACHED TO ONE END OF SAID FACE SPRING, AND AN EXTENSION ON SAID ONE END OF THE FACE SPRING EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, SAID EXTENSION INCLUDING A BORDER WIRE SECTION WHICH EXTENDS IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF SAID FACE SPRING AND IS OF A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN SAID TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF SAID FACE SPRING SO THAT A PLURALITY OF SAID FACE SPRINGS CAN BE ARRANGED IN A SPACED SIDE BY SIDE RELATION WITH SAID BORDER WIRE SECTIONS CONNECTED TO FORM A BORDER WIRE. 